Industry News

Program proceeds will be used for cycling program grants.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BRAIN) — In a partnership between public, private and non-profit organizations, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has begun accepting pre-orders for the state's first speciality plate focused on bicycle use.

Exeger founder Giovanni Fili with a wireless-headphone sized solar cell.

PARK CITY, Utah (BRAIN) — POC is working with a Swedish startup tech company to develop smart helmets that charge themselves via a new material that converts light energy — from solar or artificial sources — to an electric charge. The companies said they plan to deliver the helmets in 2020. 

The Austrian company held off opening U.S. distribution until it developed enough capacity to serve the European market.

PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — This weekend's Philly Bike Expo will include about 200 exhibitors — many of whom are promising new product launches at the event, which organizers are billing as a hybrid consumer/trade show.

Tagged Consumer Expos and Rides

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — VeloSwap, billed as the world’s largest bike expo, is returning to Denver this Saturday, Nov. 2 to celebrate its 30th year.

OSAKA, Japan (BRAIN) — Shimano is reporting that sales in its bike division were up 6.3% in the first three quarters of this year, compared to the same period last year.

Tagged Earnings/Financial Reports
A Marin Bikes employee camps out in the office parking lot.

PETALUMA, Calif. (BRAIN) — While 16 wildfires have burned more than 94,000 acres across California this fall, bicycle manufacturing structures have escaped harm so far. But some industry and retail employees have been affected as of Monday.

Tagged Distributor news
A screenshot of part of the USTR document granting the exclusion.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — The U.S. Trade Representative has granted a tariff exclusion for China-made carbon fiber frames, an exclusion requested by Parlee Cycles, Inc.

Tagged Tariffs

OGDEN, Utah (BRAIN) — Organizationally, Enve is in new territory. Mavic, its fellow cycling brand within Amer Sports, has been sold to Regent. Meanwhile, Amer itself has been sold to a Chinese investor group. Where does that leave the Utah-based company?

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Ryan Atkinson, the president and co-owner of SmartEtailing, joins host Kristin Carpenter on the latest episode of the Channel Mastery podcast.

STOCKHOLM (BRAIN) — Thule Group is reporting healthy sales in its third quarter in all markets except the U.S., where uncertainty about tariffs has caused some retailers to reduce orders. 

Tagged Tariffs / Earnings/Financial Reports
An employee at the Apro Tech Co. works on a damper.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Fritz Jou moves fast, thinks fast, and wastes no time.

He led the TAITRA bike factory tour at his own Fritz Jou Manufacturing (FJM) company on Thursday, and if you got caught staring too long at any one process, you risked getting left behind.

ANOKA, Minn. (BRAIN) — Chris Sword, who has been president of Shimano-owned Pearl Izumi for about two years, will become president of Vista Outdoor's Bell & Giro brands effective Oct. 30.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Rising e-bike demand and an emphasis on developing drivetrain systems have Tektro/TRP in need of more manufacturing space.

Sram Asia GM/engineering manager Bob Chen shows off a mountain bike cassette.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — SRAM has expanded its Asia headquarters in the past 29 years, adding 17 buildings and stretching out to 452,000 square feet. Its latest addition is a small classroom but said it believes the space is every bit as far-reaching as the previous expansions.

TAITRA officials met with journalists on Monday to discuss the bike industry.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — TAITRA officials said Monday during an introductory press conference before its annual bike factory tour week that Taiwan's e-bike exports grew by 131% by volume in the first three quarters of this year compared to the same time last year.

Tagged Electric bike / Taipei Cycle Show
Taichung Bike Week concluded its 15th year on Friday.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN) — Steve Fenton always has said Taichung Bike Week is a three-day show for the industry by the industry. After concluding its 15th annual event on Friday, Fenton said Bike Week delivered again.

Tagged Taichung Bike Week
POC will phase out its SPIN feature and replace it with MIPS technology.

PARK CITY, Utah (BRAIN) — Sweden-born safety brands POC and MIPS have agreed to a new collaboration that the companies say will lead to new technologies. 

The staff, including director TJ Juskiewicz, disagreed with the newspaper's stance on fundraiser Carson King, who made racially insensitive comments when he was 16. The staff said it will launch its own event next year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (BRAIN) — The staff that produces The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa has resigned over a decision by the event's owner — Gannet-owned daily Des Moines Register — to prevent event staff from speaking their minds about the paper's handling of a story.

Screenshot of the BuyLocalNow beta site homepage.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — For years, Buy Local Now has allowed brands to push consumers from their brand website to bike shops. Now SmartEtailing is taking it another step: The new BuyLocalNow.com site lets consumers browse products that are available from nearby shops.

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